Page 14 of Shapeshifter's Vengeance

She leads me to a group of children, their eyes red from crying. “These are the children of the murdered witches,” she says, her voice cold. “They need to know who you are.”

I kneel down to their level, trying to muster a reassuring smile. “Hi, I’m Evelyn. I’m the sheriff, and I’m working very hard to find out who did this to your parents.”

A young girl, maybe eight years old, looks up at me with tear-filled eyes. “Will you catch them?”

“I promise,” I say, my heart aching. “I will do everything I can.”

Karla watches, her arms crossed. The children nod and shuffle away, leaving me alone with her. She leads me to the far end of the cemetery as the others spend their last minutes with their loved ones.

“You’re not doing enough,” she says bluntly once we are out of earshot.

“I’m doing everything I can,” I respond, feeling defensive. “We’re getting closer. The background checks are revealing more each day.”

“It’s not enough,” Karla snaps. “The witches are losing faith in you. They think you’re protecting Alexei.”

“I need more time,” I insist. “I’m getting closer. Just trust me a little longer.”

Karla’s eyes narrow. “Time is something we don’t have much of, Evelyn. More witches could die.”

I swallow hard, knowing she’s right. “I know. I won’t stop until I find who’s responsible.”

“See that you don’t,” she says, turning away.

I take one last look at the funeral before walking away. I make my way back to my car, the promise I made to those children echoing in my mind. The drive back home is quiet. My mind is occupied with other things.

Chapter 7: New Leads

EVELYN

The late night is quiet as I make my way to Ana’s place. The weight of the day’s events hangs heavy on my shoulders. As I approach her door, I see the light is still on. Ana must be waiting for me. I knock gently, and a moment later, she opens the door, looking exhausted but determined.

“Evelyn,” she says, stepping aside to let me in. “Any news?”

“Nothing substantial,” I reply, shaking my head. “But we can’t stop now. We need to dig deeper.”

Ana nods, her face set with resolve. “Let’s get to it, then.”

We set up in her living room, papers, and files spread out across the table. The light casts shadows on the walls, giving the room an eerie feel. We start going through the documents again, focusing on the witches who were killed.

“There has to be a reason they were targeted,” I say, scanning a file. “Something connecting them.”

Ana nods. “Agreed. Let’s look into their backgrounds, see if there’s a common thread.”

We work in silence for a while. The only sound is the rustling of papers. The pile of documents grows smaller as we meticulously review each one.

“Look at this,” Ana says suddenly, holding up a piece of paper. “They all attended the same particular coven meetings regularly.”

I take the paper from her, my eyes scanning the list of names. “You’re right. They were all part of a smaller, more exclusive group within the coven.”

Ana leans back, rubbing her temples. “Why would someone target this specific group?”

“I don’t know,” I admit, feeling a headache coming on. “But it’s a lead. We need to find out more about these meetings.”

Ana pulls out her laptop and starts typing. “I’ll look for any records or notes from their meetings. Maybe there’s something there.”

As she searched, I sifted through the files again, looking for any piece of information I can use, no matter how small. The hours drag on, and exhaustion starts to take its toll. The sun begins to rise, casting a pale light through the window.

“I’ve got something,” Ana says, her voice cutting through the quiet. “One of the witches, Laura, kept detailed notes on their meetings. It’s all here.”

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